The Last Confederate in the Field

The Life and Career of General Joseph E. Johnston

By: Charles River Editors

Narrated by: Scott Clem

During the Civil War, one of the tales that was often told among Confederate soldiers was that Joseph E. Johnston was a crack shot who was a better bird hunter than just about everyone else in the South. However, as the story went, Johnston would never take the shot when asked to, complaining that something was wrong with the situation that prevented him from being able to shoot the bird when it was time.

The story is almost certainly apocryphal, but it was aptly used to demonstrate the Confederates' frustration with a man who everyone regarded as a capable general. Johnston began the Civil War as one of the South's senior commanders, leading the ironically named Army of the Potomac to victory in the Battle of First Bull Run over Irvin McDowell's Union Army. But Johnston would become known more for losing by not winning. Johnston was never badly beaten in battle, but he had a habit of strategically withdrawing until he had nowhere left to retreat.

©2013 Charles River Editors (P)2017 Charles River Editors

Good book

I liked the book, but I wasn’t impressed with the reader. He had a monotoned voice.

Little to do with Johnston.

This book tells a decent story of the civil war. Extremely surface level. It feels as if Johnston is a side character in a book about him. If you’re wanting to learn more about Johnston specifically I would look elsewhere. The narration was not great either.

Sounds like an AI book report

I regret selecting this title. This seems to be mundane facts derived from AI. The information is commonly known. This isn't a quality biography.